Day 2- Exploring Tokyo
Day 2:
一緒にこの壮大な街を探索しましょう
Not sure if it’s jet lag or my internal clock going off (I get up around 515-530 at home during the week), but it’s just after 5am and both of us are wide awake. Time to start the day.
The fun thing I learned about Tokyo and Japan is is to keep a watch on the daily weather forecasts. One minute it could show sunny, clear skies and 68*, next it could show a 80% chance of rain. Made for interesting packing, and now that we’re here, planning on what to wear.
Also, prep for walking, and get new comfortable shoes. Day 1 had me at 12,893 steps and 5.91 miles.
Because the weather for Sunday showed 100% chance of rain, we moved one of our outdoor activities to today. The Imperial Palace, the home of the current Emperor, Naruhito. He ascended the throne on May 1, 2019, following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito. His ascension to the throne marked the beginning of the Reiwa era.
The palace is a sprawling complex located in the center of the metro, in the Chioyda district. There are embassies, consulates, and government buildings in the vicinity. If you don’t have a pre-arranged reservation, they hand out 300 tickets daily at 9am on a first come, first serve basis.
After a good breakfast, it was time to go. And remember It was rush hour, the subways were packed. We made it just in time to snag some tickets.
Full disclosure, for those wanting to attend, the tour itself is underwhelming. You walk the grounds, can’t go into any buildings, they describe what’s inside (if you can hear the guide speaking as there are hundreds of people to a group) and it’s an active palace complex. The site is visually beautiful, and the Sakura that was in full bloom a week ago would have been a site to see.
Dan did score though, and found some limited edition Tokyo starbucks Sakura mugs.
Side note: little to no trash cans in any public place or setting. Have your own bags with you to carry your trash and dispose of yourself.
Onto the next stop, the Meiji Jingu Shrine. This Shinto shrine is dedicated to the deified spirits of a former Emperor Meiji and his wife, Empress Shōken. The entrance has massive Torii gates, which is where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and where kami (good spirits) are welcomed and thought to travel through.
The place was peaceful, almost like you were no longer in this massive urban area.
They had a place at the summit, just outside of the shrine, where you can leave a message to those who have passed. Really enjoyed this beautiful peaceful time.
And now, off to the complete opposite, the chaos of Shibuya. It has one of the largest train stations in the world, the busiest street crossing (almost 3,000 people each green light), and is a bigger commercial area than Times Square, Piccadilly, and Union Square combined. It’s crowded, overwhelming, mesmerizing, efficient, and truly incredible to watch and be a part of.
After exiting the station, I wanted to see the dog statue first. Hachiko is a bronze statue of a real life akita-inu dog who represents the loyalty of man’s best friend. A professor brought Hachiko to the city as his pet, and would meet the dog every day at the train station to head home, until May 21, 1925 when the professor died. Hachiko came back every day until 1935 when Hachiko himself passed. This made me miss my Louie, who patiently waits for me facing the door everyday with his toy, waiting for me to get home.
Now for a little shopping. Every store you can think of has a location here. My heart was set on one spot, and one spot only. The Onitsuka Tiger shore store, only sold in Japan. It was a madhouse, but, came away with a few pairs.
Ah, the crossing, a masterpiece of urban chaos and ingenuity. To see this mass of humanity crossing from all directions is exhilarating and leaves you in awe. We had to do it a few times, taking in this once in a lifetime experience. Now, to see it from above. I had booked in advance tickets to the Shibuya Sky, the observation deck and escalator in the 50 story tower the overlooks the square.
The sunset time slots sell out weeks and months in advance. We made our way up. First to the rooftop outdoor area. Literally the helicopter pad. There’s the famous escalator that is all over social media that shows people descending into the City, everything lit up. Welp, out in the distance you could see the rain clouds moving in fast. We made it up and were able to get some fresh air with a view, almost 800 feet up. Lucky too because they did close the roof about 20 minutes later.
It was now time to claim our spot for the sunset, at 611pm. And if you know me, we got “our spot”. It was impressive seeing the City wake up for the evening. Lights, traffic, the cityscape as far as the eye can see. Throw in some lightning too. Even our mascot for the trip, Godzilla, was scared.
It was now close to 7, had to do a little last second shopping then grab some food. And what do we see as we walk out….a relic from the past. From my hometown. Tower Records, a 6 story one. Not sure his many are left in the world. It brought back so much nostalgia of the the one on broadway, browsing for hours for the had to have record, the hot single, or of course the midnight release on Tuesday nights. The memories,
But, we were hungry, and needed a good fulfilling meal. Where else? But the Hard Rock Cafe, back in the Roppongi area.
And, the place was packed, had a DJ, free refills, and was just what the both of us needed. With full bellies, filled hearts, and memories to last a lifetime, back to le’ hotel we went.
20,257 steps and 9.08 miles, time to rest.
Chat with y’all tomorrow.
#shibuya#hachiko#meijishrine#imperialpalace#tokyo#japan #Asia2025
